Argus let his eyes wander to the cane as August placed it carefully on the table, noting the small knots in the varnished cherry. The former auror's thoughts drifted momentarily to why August had a cane. He had seen August's limp when he had come in but Argus hadn't much thought on it.

Now however, as the lawyer spoke, Argus wanted very much to talk about the cane and what happened to August. He didn't want to talk about Annabelle. He was fine talking about Araminta; she was everything he'd wanted in a daughter though the very thought of having to talk about his other daughter did nothing short of make his blood boil.

Argus cleared his throat, moving back in his seat, and nodded at August's words.

"Araminta is a perfect example of how a young lady ought to be," Argus began succinctly, "She's respectful and knows what her status in life is. She is a good child."

Argus paused, perhaps longer than he ought to have, as he pondered how to talk about his other daughter. The one people are claiming he assaulted, the one he allegedly tortured.

"My other daughter is...-" Argus swallowed, "She's misguided."

What else could he say? That she was turning into nothing short of a common whore? That she would rather defy her family than accept responsibility for her actions and apologise?

"She was raised - before coming back home - by people who don't understand the importance of etiquette and social responsibility," the retiree continued, his tone shifting slightly, "forgive me, Mr Echelon-Arnost, I'm not entirely sure what else to say. Annabelle is not a child I can say I am proud of and I shan't lie about my disappointment in her."